


Watch Out! That Bowtie!

by jellybeansarecool



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/F, F/M, River Song (Mention only), TARDIS Wardrobe Room, angst angst angst, because I can't seem to write anything without angst, bowties, oh! and high heels also make an appearance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2019-12-01
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:00:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21627214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jellybeansarecool/pseuds/jellybeansarecool
Summary: Graham and Ryan need bowties. Not being able to find some in the Tardis wardrobe they turn to the Doctor for help.A short, fluffy, angsty, one-shot.
Relationships: The Doctor/River Song
Comments: 8
Kudos: 88





	Watch Out! That Bowtie!

**Author's Note:**

> I set out to write something short, sweet, and fluffy about Thirteen's bowtie (Thirteen in a bowtie? Yes Please!) but it quickly turned into something hella angsty (sorry Doctor!).   
> Anyway, I hope it's still enjoyable on some level - even if it's the 'this hurts so bad but is so good!' sort of level.

Graham emerged from between the racks of clothes. Doing up the last of the buttons on his dress shirt he called out to the Doctor, “Doc? Do you have any bowties? We can’t seem to find any!”

“You’d think in a place this massive,” Ryan added as he looked around at the rows and rows of outfits that filled the Tardis wardrobe, “that we’d be able to find something.”

Walking through a section marked ‘Aasgaard’ Graham called out again, “Doc! We really need the ties if we want to be ready in time. It’d be nice if you told us what for…” He finished under his breath. 

The two men were about to give up looking for their eccentric alien friend and try another sweep of the wardrobe in search of the elusive bowties, bowties that they both needed when the alien in question jumped out from behind a row of red cocktail dresses. 

“Ahhh!” 

“Sorry Ryan.” The Doctor scrunched up her face sheepishly before continuing, “You wanted me?” 

“If we’re to dress proper nice like you said, we need some bowties, but we can’t find any. Where are they?” The younger man asked. 

The Doctor’s smile grew, if that was possible, “Follow me!” She shouted over her shoulder as she disappeared between a row of brightly coloured scarves. 

Ryan and Graham looked at each other for a moment before shrugging and following their energetic friend. 

The trio weaved through racks and racks of clothing until they emerged into a section dedicated to shoes. After passing the third display of heels Graham spoke up, “Doc, are we almost there? You did say that we didn’t have much time.”

“Time machine, Graham.”

Graham rolled his eyes with a fond smile not noticing at first that the Doctor had stopped abruptly. She was looking intently at a shelf of red high-heels. One pair seemed to interest her especially. Reaching out she grabbed the Louboutins. Clutching them to her chest she looked up at the ceiling of the wardrobe, “You know these don’t belong here! Stop moving them. Hmph!” The Doctor tucked the shoes under her arm and stomped her foot before spinning and walking through a door that had just appeared. 

Ryan looked at his grandad and shrugged before following after her. Graham stood for a moment looking at the empty spot on the shelf thinking. They were definitely not her style and the older man couldn’t quite figure out why she was being so protective of them. Yet another mystery. They seemed to pop up like daisies around the Doctor. 

Joining the Doctor and Ryan in the other room Graham couldn’t help but gasp in wonder. He had just entered what appeared to be a shrine to bowties. Artwork of bowties in various colours, patterns, and styles adorned the walls. Spinning around, Graham tried to take it all in. He looked at the Doctor inquiringly. 

“Most of my faces have worn a bowtie at some point or another. Two faces back I had a real obsession.” She grinned. 

Graham nodded numbly. He stepped forward to stand beside Ryan who had found the ties that they needed to complete their look. The younger man had been going through draws of immaculately laid out ties.

“How do I look?” The Doctor spread out her arms. Around her neck was a large dark gold bowtie. “Doesn’t it make you think of regeneration energy? See! It has swirls on it!” She stepped closer so that they could get a better look. 

“Very nice.” Graham smiled at her encouragingly. 

“Hey, Doctor? What’s with this bowtie? Why’s it in a display case?”

The Doctor spun around and looked to where Ryan was pointing. She gasped. Lit from below by a soft golden light was a dark blue bowtie. She reached out and ran her fingertips reverently over the edge of the crystal case protecting it.

“Doc? What is it?” Graham’s voice dropped to a whisper. 

“Something important to someone a long time ago,” the Doctor replied, her voice barely audible. 

Graham placed his hand gently on her shoulder. When she refused to tear her eyes away from the case, he realized that there was more going on than she was willing to say. Giving her the space that she needed, he turned to Ryan, “Come on son, let’s go find Yaz. And Doctor? We’ll meet you in the console room.”

The woman in question nodded but didn’t say a word. 

Once the boys had left the room the Doctor let her chin drop to her chest. Taking a big shuddering breath, she clenched and unclenched her fists. Raising her eyes, she took in the relic from more than a lifetime ago. That particular bowtie was more than just a piece of fabric, it was a tie to the past and to a love that she would never quite be able to forget. The sight of it filled her with a long-lost fondness but also with a stab of pain. Gritting her teeth in determination, she reached out and pulled the crystal box down from its place on the shelf. 

Dangling the shoes from her fingers and cradling the box protectively in her arms, the ancient time traveller made her way out of the wardrobe and down the winding corridors. She was deep inside the Tardis before she found what she was looking for. A dark unassuming wood door. Pushing it gently with her foot, it swung open slowly. Soft light seeped out into the corridor. The Doctor slipped quietly past the door and into the room. 

Stepping past the large plush king-sized bed, the Doctor made her way toward the two doors on the other side of the room. Juggling the case and shoes she managed to open the door and step into the large walk-in wardrobe. Not as impressive as the wardrobe she had just left, this one still contained walls of dresses and suits as well as shelves of shoes. Walking over to a small island in the middle of the room, she placed the crystal case containing the blue bowtie on the top. Having done so she made her way to the back wall. 

The Doctor positioned River’s high heels in the place of honour among her other shoes. A small smiled pulled at her lips before she turned back to the small island. Now that her hands were free, she could position the crystal case correctly so that it would be the first thing that anyone entering the wardrobe would see. Kneeling on the floor, she rested her arms on the velvet seat that circled the island. The Doctor lowered her head onto her arms and let the sobs take over. Her cries racked her body but this deep in the Tardis no one would be able to hear her screams of pain and loss. 

She didn’t let herself feel the pain very often. Truth be told, it didn’t hurt as much or as often as it once had. Perhaps the old adage was right, maybe time did heal all wounds. At least, it dulled the pain. But every so often, there would be something that would remind her of her wife. A smell, a sound, the feel of silk beneath her fingers… Today it was a bowtie. A small blue piece of fabric resting in a crystal case reminding her of a love long gone and a wedding that touched all of time. 

When the cries subsided, and her breathing returned to normal, she wiped her eyes and stood. Emerging from the wardrobe she went to stand beside the bed. She picked up the small blue book resting on the bedside table. Running her hand over the cracked leather of the cover she slipped her fingers between the pages. Opening the diary, she lifted it to her face and breathed in deeply. A choked sob caught in the back of her throat as she clasped the book tightly to her chest. With a sad sigh she gently placed the book back down. There would be time to come back and read some of her favourite adventures and relive old memories. But that would have to wait. 

After washing her face and making sure she was presentable, the Doctor left the room she once joyfully inhabited and made her back towards the console room where her friends would be waiting. The Tardis shifted the corridors so it wasn’t long before she was in earshot of her newest set of humans. Their voices carried towards her. 

“She has this whole room in the wardrobe dedicated to bowties!”

“Oh! Maybe I should change? We could all wear one.”

“No. I’m sure the Doc will be along soon.”

“And you look fine Yaz. Proper nice. Just like the Doctor asked.”

The Doctor smiled and patted the wall in thanks. The Tardis hummed in reply. The Doctor could always rely on her beloved ship to look after her. The Old Girl had altered her companions’ perception of time so that she could have the time she needed without them realizing just how long she had been gone. 

Taking a deep breath, the Doctor emerged from the corridor and smiled at her friends, “Right Fam! All ready? Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!   
> Have an awesome day,   
> JBeans


End file.
